VANCOUVER, BC, Canada – A&W Revenue Royalties Income Fund and A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. announce that Food Services has signed a Country Agreement with UK-based freshly made food and organic coffee chain Pret A Manger (Europe) Limited , which sets forth the general terms and conditions granting Food Services master franchisor rights to Canada for Pret A Manger.
Pursuant to the Agreement, Food Services is moving forward with a two-year pilot of the Pret brand in Canada (the “Trial Phase”) during which period, Food Services will introduce the Pret brand within A&W restaurants in select markets in Canada.
The first shop to trial the Pret brand will be in Vancouver and plans to open this summer.
“We are excited to introduce Pret’s fresh and delicious menu range in a select number of A&W restaurants this year. We believe Canadian consumers will respond very positively and come to love the Pret brand and all that it represents” commented Susan Senecal, Chief Executive Officer of Food Services and the Fund.
Pano Christou, Chief Executive Officer at Pret A Manger said: “Last year, we set out our ambitions to expand into new markets and bring Pret to more people worldwide. I’m excited to confirm that Pret will be coming to customers in Canada this summer through our franchisee agreement with A&W. We know Canadians have long been calling for Pret in their community.
Thanks to this new partnership, we’re finally able to bring our freshly made food and 100% organic coffee to Canada as part of a two-year trial.”
The A&W restaurant locations that will participate in the Trial Phase are expected to launch a Pret menu range and organic coffees in the second quarter of 2022, with the first location opening within an A&W in Vancouver.
If the Trial Phase is successful, Food Services will have the exclusive right to expand the Pret brand across Canada based on an agreed upon development schedule.
